Starlight
by asdf123150
Summary: Reverb 2015. It's been over two years since Tsubaki's last seen her family in Japan, thanks to the Asura fight, Kidd's takeover as Lord Death, and all the associated mess. She's long overdue for a visit, and it's long past time for Black Star to meet her family, so why not take him with her on her next trip back? After all, they're partners, and that's what partners do. Isn't it?


**A/N:** As you can probably tell from the summary, this was written for Reverb 2015, or Reverse Resbang. If you search up "reverb 2015 masterpost" in Google, then you can find a link that contains a list of all the Reverb submissions. You can also find the link to the artwork that I wrote for there. (I would add the link here, but does all that weird stuff with links and I would just rather not bother. So, Google. Yeah?)

That aside, this is my first time trying to writing anything for Soul Eater, therefore it is also my first attempt at characterizing any of these characters, therefore... If it's too OOC, forgive me? I also kind of forgot about the theme of anticipation, so, forgive me again. Basically, if anything is shit, I beg of you all to forgive me. This was tough for me to write.

* * *

The first time Tsubaki went back to Japan after coming to Shibusen was during her first summer vacation. It was pretty simple, a lot easier than she'd thought it would be. All she had to do was buy a plane ticket, get permission from Lord Death - which he gave out readily, along with a cheery "have fun while you're there!" - and then tell Black Star that she would be away for a few weeks.

They were still living separately at this point, which wasn't unreasonable, considering they'd only known each other for less than a month, and were only just getting to know one another. They weren't that close yet; Tsubaki would've been hesitant to refer to Black Star as her "friend", let alone a good one.

Once Tsubaki managed to process the fact that Lord Death was perfectly fine with her taking a three-week vacation to Japan, she went to the school gym where Black Star spent most of his time to tell him about her leave.

"U-Um... Black Star?"

She stood awkwardly beside one of the exercise machines, watching him do reps on some fancy gadget that probably had a name she didn't know. He was so intent on his workout that, for a moment, she feared he hadn't even heard her.

"Tsubaki!"

She flinched at his sudden, overly-loud shout. Without a warning, he did a double backspring off the machine and landed right beside her, standing with his hands on his hips, not even sweating even though he'd already been working out for at least an hour and a half.

"Haven't I told you before?" he demanded. "Never interrupt a god while he's busy! Anyway, what is it?"

She took a deep breath and, before she could lose her nerve, forced it all out in one rapid stream of speech: "I'mgoingawaytovisitmyfamilyinJapanandIwon'tbebackforthreeweeks."

She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for his response. Would he be angry at her, for abandoning their partnership? Would he demand to go along with her? She didn't know him very well yet; how could she make any sort of prediction as to how he'd react to this?

"Japan? Cool! You mean, the place with the anima stuff?"

"Anime," she automatically corrected with a slight grimace. Of course, the only thing he knew about Japan was its anime and manga culture. "Yes... That place."

She risked taking a peek at him through her eyelashes. To her surprise, he'd gone right back to exercising.

Really? Was that all?

"Um..." She wrung her hands together. Surely that wasn't all. He had to have more of a reaction that that, right? "So, are you alright with it?"

He didn't even look over to her as he pulled himself up in chinup after chinup and puffed, "Of course - I'm - alright with it! Why would - a god - like me - care if you're - going to visit your family? It's - your - own - business!"

Tsubaki stared at him for the longest time, blank-minded, watching him do countless single-armed chinups.

Her new partner was either the most self-centered person she'd ever met, or he was kind and caring in a way that she had never encountered before. Or maybe he was a bit of both. Whatever it was, she couldn't help the faint blush that rose to her cheeks as she spun and dashed away as quickly as her racing heart would allow.

xoxoxox

The second time she went back to Japan for the holidays was the following winter. Her had family begged her to return for another few weeks - _it's the Japanese tradition to visit the shrines for New Year's! How are you going to do that if you're over in the United States, where they have no shrines? -_ and Tsubaki rather liked the sound of visiting home again, so why not? Again, Tsubaki went and asked Lord Death to excuse her for a few weeks; again, he agreed without the slightest hesitation. And, once again, Tsubaki went off to tell Black Star about her two-and-a-half weeks' absence.

This time, she didn't have to go to the gym to look for him: They'd moved in together just a few days ago. During class, Sid had mentioned how a weapon and meister's resonance rate tended to go up when the two were living together, so of course, Black Star had insisted that they try it out. Was it normal, in these Western countries, for girls and boys to live together, despite only knowing each other for several months? If Tsubaki's parents knew she was living with a boy, they'd be horrified. Tsubaki herself had also had some reservations about the idea, but Black Star hadn't seemed to think much of it, so she supposed she was only overreacting.

When Tsubaki got to their shared apartment (only five minutes' walk away from Shibusen, and dirt cheap, too, thank Death), Black Star was doing pushups in the living room.

"A-Ah, Black Star?"

He paused, chest nearly brushing the ground, and turned to face her. "Oh, hey, Tsubaki!" He grinned and bounded upward. "I thought you needed to talk to Death about something! Are you done already?"

Her cheeks burned. "Y... Yeah. Um... I'm going to go back to Japan again for the New Year, so-"

"Cool!" Black Star leapt up and struck a faux martial arts pose. "Get me another one of those ninja statues while you're there! The ninja code isn't as good as the assassin's, but I've still gotta have some respect for those guys, for trying to be as awesome as a god like me! Bwahahaha!"

He propped his fists on his hips and threw his head back, guffawing with all his might. Tsubaki couldn't resist a smile.

She'd only known Black Star for a few months, but she'd already grown fond of how energetic and perpetually cheerful he was. Even his egotism couldn't deter her from that million-watt smile of his.

She wasn't sure how serious he was about that ninja figurine, but she made sure to get him one anyway. All the way home, she worried about how he'd react. Would he laugh at her for taking him seriously? Would he be pleased? Would he have already forgotten about the request he'd made a month and a half ago?

When she handed the statuette to him with a blush and a stammer, the grin he sent her way made her heart soar with joy.

xoxoxox

That was the last time she'd ever gone back to Japan. Back then, she'd promised her parents that she'd be back within a year, and where was she now? Nearly two years had passed by already, and it still didn't look like she'd have a chance to go back anytime soon. Her parents would give her an earful when - _if_ \- she finally went back. She couldn't help it, though. Shibusen had become a mess once Asura had been killed and Lord Death had passed on. Kidd had become the new Lord Death, but his perfectionism meant that he hardly got any work done; the only reason that the Death Scythes hadn't booted him out of the position yet was because the Spartoi were all working their butts off to help him. Kim and Jacky had created a new Department for Witch's Affairs that was severely understaffed; Liz and Patti were swamped with all the paperwork that Kidd was unable to finish; Soul and Maka had run off to clear away the last residual traces of madness in the world; the others were all equally busy, although Tsubaki could never keep track of who was doing what. There was so much to do that the tasks were constantly being juggled around from person to person. She, herself, had had numerous titles over the past few months: she'd done paperwork, acted as a substitute NOT teacher, run errands, delivered messages, spoken to construction companies about rebuilding buildings destroyed while fighting Asura, and so, so, so much more. Most of all, she'd had her hands full with running after Black Star and making sure he didn't mess with other people's work. Technically, he also had work to do, but he never seemed to get anything done; he only succeeded in disrupting other people. Sometimes, Tsubaki wished she could just smack him upside the head and send him to sleep for the next few months.

Today was yet another day of running around after Black Star and stopping him from doing whatever ridiculous idea had most recently popped into his head.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki dashed after him as he zipped, whooping and laughing, down the halls of Shibusen. She dodged around surprised passerby and yelled, "Black Star! Kidd's going to murder you if you wreck the building again!"

"Hahahaha!" He cackled with glee. "How could he do anything to a god like me? Besides, Tsubaki, you just wait and see! He'll _love_ the new paint job! You should appreciate how much trouble I'm going to for him - do you know how much other people would pay to have me autograph their homes and schools? This is a gift, a gift!"

Tsubaki suppressed a groan of despair. "He asked you to _find him a painting company,_ not to _repaint the school yourself!_ "

Black Star sped up. So did she. "I'm telling you, he'll love it!"

"Black Star!"

"Don't worry, Tsubaki, I've got it all figured-"

" _Maka Chop._ "

If she hadn't uttered those two simple words, Black Star would never have known what hit him. As it was, he had just enough time to exclaim "huh?" before he ran, face-first, into the spine of a textbook.

" _Gagh!_ "

Black Star collapsed to the ground, groaning in agony, and Maka sighed and tucked her textbook back under her arm. "I've been back for all of five minutes, and the first thing I notice is you being stupid. Don't tell me that's all you've been doing these past few weeks."

Tsubaki jogged up beside them. "Maka, you're back! Where's Soul?"

"Still giving Kidd our status update." Maka sighed and twirled her pigtail around her finger. "Kidd asked me to find you two. He figured that Black Star would have totally misinterpreted his request for a painter. Why would he ask you to do anything, anyway? He should know by now that you'll never get it done."

Her last two sentences were directed down at Black Star, who was still clutching his face and keeled over on the ground. She nudged him with the toe of her sneaker, and he yelled, "Dammit, Maka! What was that for? This is the first time we've seen each other in months, and you break my nose with your book?"

"Oh, shut up." Maka tapped him on the crown of his head, much more lightly this time, with the same book that had practically crushed his nose earlier. "Anyway, Kidd said that he wants to talk to you guys as soon as possible. Go over to the Death Room whenever you can - and, Black Star, if you've done any weird things while I was away, I'm going to get Kim to help me teach you a lesson on proper behaviour."

He sniffled and rubbed his nose, testing its state. It had stopped bleeding after those first few drops. "Man." He grunted and bounded to his feet, shooting Maka a slightly disgruntled, but nonetheless dazzling, smile. "Why've you become so _mean_ all of a sudden?"

Maka smiled back, faintly. "You wouldn't believe how rude some people can be - there are some people out there who're even ruder than _you_. I'm never letting Kidd send me on an ambassador mission ever again."

People ruder than Black Star? Tsubaki shivered. But what had Maka said about Kidd wanting to speak to them? What did he want to speak to them about? He hadn't mentioned anything during the Spartoi meeting yesterday morning.

"Ruder than me? Ha! That's funny."

"Funny? You think I'm joking?"

"I don't _think_ , I _know_! As if anyone could be ruder than a god like me."

"A g-?"

It wasn't like Maka to go around picking fights. That ambassador mission must've been a lot worse than Tsubaki had expected.

"Hey," she interrupted. Maka paused mid-rant, and she and Black Star turned to face Tsubaki with matching scowls. Tsubaki swallowed. "Hey, well, uh, Black Star, don't you think we should go see Kidd and find out what he wants to talk to us about? It might be important."

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Black Star by the wrist and dragged him down the hall. He sputtered protests. "Hey, what're you doing? Maka and I were in the middle of a fight! You can't just stop two bros in the middle of a fight!"

"You and Maka aren't _bros_ ," Tsubaki sighed. "Well - maybe you're _bros_ , but - well, you weren't fighting, then. You know Maka. She doesn't fight."

"I know what fights are, and that was a fight!"

She sighed again. Even if it had been a fight - and, granted, it had looked a lot like that to her - she would never have let it escalate into any more than the trade of verbal insults that it had been. Honestly, Black Star was so...rambunctious. Like a little kid.

"Come on," she announced, dragging him away. He was pretty heavy for his size, probably because of all his muscle, but Tsubaki handled him without too much trouble. "We're going to see Kidd."

"Peh." Black Star swatted at her arm. She released her grasp on his collar, and he bounded to his feet with a childish pout. "Why're we going so _slow,_ then? Let's hurry up!"

And just like that, his frown was gone, replaced by an enormous grin. He spun around and dashed ahead, practically knocking over all the stunned students in his path. With pursed lips that were fighting to turn up into a smile, Tsubaki followed close behind.

xoxoxox

"Hey, what're you two doing here?"

Liz snapped her gum and stared lazily up at Black Star and Tsubaki. Both Liz and Patty were dressed in their red cowboy costumes, just like the old times, except now, they had semi-professional tight white jackets buttoned over their crop tops. They need to "keep up appearances" or something, according to Kidd. Tsubaki personally thought it looked nice, but Liz didn't agree.

Tsubaki cleared her throat. "Maka told us that Kidd wanted to talk to us about-"

"I hafta show him the new design I've planned for the school!" Black Star cackled and extracted a crumpled piece of paper from the pocket of his shorts. "I'm going to autograph it in green, red, and neon yellow! Man, Kidd's gonna _love_ it!"

Patti chortled and clapped her hands together. "Ooh! Can we draw a big, big giraffe, too, then? We'll make him... Green! With purple polka dots! And his name will be _George_."

"Nobody's painting anything on the building," Liz drawled, giving her sister a light smack on the forehead, "unless Kidd approves it. Go right on in, he's free now."

Liz leaned back in her chair (Kidd had installed two comfy armchairs outside the entrance to the Death Room, for use by the door guards) and blew a bubble. Patti giggled and popped it.

"Go! Go! Go!" she chirped, and cackled with laughter.

Tsubaki smiled and waved at the two girls. Patti waved enthusiastically back and Liz lazily wiggled her fingers at them as they entered the Death Room.

Kidd was sitting at his desk, as usual. The Death Room had undergone some remodeling since he'd taken over; the tacky guillotine-lined pathway remained, but the raised concrete floor, which had only held a full-length mirror before, was now crowded with a desk, coffee table table, a number of armchairs, two shelves, and a curved table that stretched the perimeter of the ring. Kidd had gotten the idea for that from the local city hall. It was all perfectly symmetrical and of a sleek, modern style; it looked slightly out-of-place surrounded by the gaudy guillotines, pastel sky, and cartoonish puffy clouds.

"Kidd, my man!" With a whoop of laughter, Black Star leapt onto the desk and thrust his crumpled page of paint-plans into Kidd's face. "Take a look at the design I planned for the school! I'm gonna paint my autograph in blue, green, and - hey, what do you think about a self-portrait? That's a _great_ idea! Let me add it to...my..."

He snatched the pen out of Kidd's hand and scrawled some more on his paper. Tsubaki managed to catch a quick glance of what he'd drawn on it: circles and spirals and spikes of ink. How that was supposed to represent Shibusen, she had no idea.

She sighed. Black Star was always so _rude._ Would he never learn his lesson?

"Come on, get down from there," she exclaimed, storming forward and dragging him off the desk. Papers and pens scattered everywhere, but Black Star never stopped scribbling away at his design. "I thought I already told you - you're supposed to find a painter, not paint the school yourself!"

"Yes," Kidd muttered. He was staring at the ruins of his desk with a pale, sweaty face. "You were supposed to find a painter. Dammit, Black Star, how many times have I told you not to stand on my desk?"

"Bwa ha ha ha! Nobody tells a god what to do!"

Tsubaki frowned and snatched away his paper. " _Black Star._ "

He grinned back at her remorselessly. "What?"

If he'd at least seemed _slightly_ apologetic for his actions, then she wouldn't have minded as much, but this must've been the twentieth or so time that he'd pulled something like this on Kidd, and not once had he shown any sign of regret. She should've honestly given up by now, but she couldn't help but cling to the slight hope that, someday, he would learn from his mistakes.

She sighed and turned to Kidd. There wasn't anything she could do about Black Star for now; might as well just accept it.

"Maka found us, and told us you had something to tell us about."

Kidd was rearranging his desk, restacking papers, picking up pens and pencils and placing them in their holder. "Well." There was a hint of sulking in his voice; Tsubaki elbowed Black Star and gave him a little glare. He merely grinned back. "You already know Maka and Soul are back. I thought that, if you two wanted a break from working, you could take the next few weeks off, and I would have them fill in for you." Kidd grimaced down at his desk and adjusted the position of a notebook. "Although maybe they should be the ones taking a break instead."

Tsubaki's heart practically stopped.

A break? For a few weeks? Did that mean that she would be able to go back to Japan? Finally, after all these months!

"D-Do you mean it?" she whispered. She could feel tears springing to her eyes. She couldn't help it. She hadn't seen her family for such a long time - of course she was going to cry a little at the thought of finally being able to see them again. "Really? When?"

Kidd glanced briefly up at her, and blinked. "...Um. Whenever you want."

"Oh! Then, I'll go to Japan for a family visit for three weeks. That should be alright, right?"

Kidd blinked again. "Y...Yes. You seem really excited."

She blushed and intertwined her hands together in front of her. "It's been a while since I've had the time to visit them. You need to know when I'm leaving and coming back, right? I'll have to see what flights I can get, but I'll probably be leaving sometime in the next few days. Oh - do you need me to give Maka and Soul a rundown of what they need to do? Since they'll taking over for me. I can-"

" _Us_ ," Black Star snapped, eyebrows drawn down in an uncharacteristically deep, furrowed V. "They're taking over for us. We're partners, Tsubaki! Don't tell me you forgot?"

She turned and stared at him in perplexment. "Well, yes, we are, but... You don't..."

 _You don't do much_ was what she wanted to say, but that seemed a little sharp.

"...You're not coming with me," was the only thing she could come up with. "You can help Soul and Maka if-"

"Hey! I'll come with you!"

That stopped her right in her tracks. She spun and stared, disbelieving, at him. He stared right back, wearing a familiar stubborn pout.

"We're partners, aren't we? I'll come to Japan with you! It'll be cool, and plus, since we've been partners so long, I should meet your parents, and plus, Maka and Soul wouldn't want me to work with them, and plus, I don't want to work with them 'cause they suck, and plus, we're partners. So I'm coming."

Where had this come from? He'd never shown the slightest hint of interest in coming to Japan with her before. He hadn't even shown any interest in Japan itself; all he knew about it was that it was the home of ninjas and anime.

But he had a point about meeting her parents. When she'd gone home two years ago, her parents had hinted at the possibility of meeting her meister; they'd be overjoyed to finally meet him now. And, well... If he really wanted to come, who was she to stop her?

"Okay." She sighed in resignation. "We'll go to Japan together."

He whooped with glee and leapt into the air as she turned back to Kidd.

"I need to get the plane tickets and then tell my parents that we're coming, and then I'll need to give Maka and Soul an update - I'll come over tomorrow and tell you when I'm leaving, okay?"

Kidd shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't bother. The two of you can take the next month off. I'll get Harvar and Ox to tell Maka everything."

Tsubaki chuckled and smiled. "She'll love having _him_ as her guide."

"Exactly." A gentle smile creased Kidd's lips, but only for a moment: it vanished just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the familiar, pensive half-frown that Kidd usually wore. "I'll have Soul take care of the painters. And, when you leave, tell Liz and Patti that when I tell them to tell me before they let someone in, I mean, _tell me before they let someone in._ "

"Oh. Okay." Tsubaki flushed. "Should we not have come in, then?"

"No, no." He sat down in his chair and waved his hand again, and adjusted the pages that fluttered in the breeze from his hand. "I just would've liked some warning, that's all." He aimed a cold glare at Black Star and picked up a fresh pen (Black Star still hadn't returned the one he'd taken from him). "You can leave now."

Tsubaki nodded, bowed, and backed away. Black Star smirked and tossed the stolen pen back onto Kidd's desk. It skittered across the tabletop, scattering pens, pencils, stamps and pages left and right.

Kidd stared down at the newly-formed mess, slackjawed. Tsubaki could almost hear his thoughts: _Did that really just happen?_

"Black Star," she hissed out of the side of her mouth. He merely guffawed.

"Thanks for the pen, Kidd! You're the best!"

" _Black Star_."

Before Kidd could snap out of his stupor and summon Patti and Liz for an attack (it had happened before; Black Star had dragged Tsubaki into the scuffle, despite her protests), she grabbed his arm and bolted outside. Liz and Patti looked up and stared after them as she dragged him away.

"Kidd says to tell him before letting someone in next time!" Tsubaki called to them before she was down the hall, out of sight, with Black Star bouncing and laughing merrily behind her.

xoxoxox

Tsubaki managed to get airplane tickets that would take them to Sapporo three days from then. From there, her parents had arranged for a driver to take Tsubaki and Black Star to her hometown, just over forty minutes' drive away. Best of all, the tickets were discounted - mid-autumn was apparently considered to be off-season. Her stress about the price of the trip was somewhat diminished; her stress about everything else, however, was not.

The two and a half days leading up to their departure felt even more hectic than the days when she had work to do. She felt like she was doing two hundred things at a time, running all over the place, making sure Black Star was packing everything he needed and _only_ what he needed, making sure that _she_ packed everything she needed, making sure Black Star managed to shove all his stuff in two suitcases max, that Maka and Soul were on-track with the work she'd handed over to them, that the house would be safe from break-ins, that her single, neglected goldfish would have a perhaps slightly less neglective owner while she was away, so on, so on, and so on.

Though she managed to work herself into a near-panic, making sure that everything would be in order when they finally left (Black Star wasn't any help; he didn't seem to understand the concept of _only three days_ , nor did he understand baggage check-in fees or weight limits - he kept trying to convince Tsubaki to let him bring all his weights and exercise equipment), when they finally boarded the train one grey autumn morning, she couldn't keep the sunny smile off her face. She didn't even notice that she was smiling until Black Star grumbled to her, "What're you so happy about? It's just a stupid plane." (He was still upset that she hadn't let him bring along his 150-kg weights.)

"It's my first time seeing my family in a long time," she tried explaining to him, but he merely grumbled and proceeded to snore away the whole plane ride, briefly waking only for the complimentary airline meal

Despite only getting three hours of sleep the night before, Tsubaki couldn't bring herself to sleep one wink. Energy pumped through her veins; she couldn't seem to stop smiling. This was it. She was finally going to see her parents again. They'd probably scold her for an hour, telling her she'd been away for far too long, and then fret over her for another hour, making sure she hadn't overworked herself during the two years she'd been away. And then they'd spend another hour interrogating Black Star - she couldn't wait to see what they'd think of him! And of course, they'd have a huge meal ready to make up for the awful airline food, and a year of going without authentic Japanese cuisine, and she would have the chance to visit a hot springs bath for the first time in what felt like _forever_ , and then...

She didn't remember falling asleep, but she must've done so at some point, because next thing she knew, Black Star was practically shouting in her ear, "We're here! Tsubaki, yo, wake up! We're _here!_ "

"Mwuh...?" She managed, with great effort, to pull herself out of her sleepy stupor. Sure enough, all the other passengers were gathering their carry-on luggage and disembarking. How long had it been since they'd landed?

Black Star had already taken their bags out. Tsubaki wasn't even feeling awake enough to marvel at this rare display of initiative and responsibility; she simply yawned and let him drag her off the plane and through security. Clear-headedness slowly returned to her as she leaned against the wall of the baggage-claim room, waiting for Black Star to find all their luggage and drag it back to where she groggily waited. By the time he'd found and brought over both their suitcases, she was fully conscious again.

"Hey hey hey!" Black Star cried, zipping toward her with his suitcase thudding along behind him. Tsubaki's suitcase was already sitting beside her, along with both their carry-on bags. She picked up her bag in one hand and grabbed onto her suitcase with the other, as Black Star and his suitcase came to a skidding halt beside her.

"There's a store!" he exclaimed, waving his arm wildly behind him. "A huge store with tons of cool stuff! Tsubaki, hey, you can read Japanese, right? Come on, let's hurry up and get all our stuff on this thing and go see what they've got!"

"You mean a duty-free store? There was one at Eureka, too. Didn't you see it?" Tsubaki let go of her suitcase to hand Black Star his carry-on. He took it, huffing indignantly.

"Sure, but I never got to explore it! You didn't let me, don'tcha remember? You were all panicky about missing our flight, even though we were an hour early. Since you didn't let me go there, you'd better take me to this one!"

Tsubaki sighed and picked up her suitcase again. "I don't know. Whoever my parents sent to pick me up might-"

"They can wait!"

He dashed to the security check, still dragging his suitcase haphazardly behind him - the poor thing's wheels were probably going to be useless by the end of this trip. With a sigh, Tsubaki followed behind him. He could never sit still and listen to anyone else for even a single minute, could he? In the face of his perpetual hyperness, all the excited energy she'd had bottled up inside her before the flight dissipated. She found herself sighing and dragging her feet as Black Star dragged her all over the duty-free store. _What does that say? How much is that? Hey! Hey, Tsubaki, you've got money, haven't you? That looks really cool, we should get that!_

Since when, she wondered to herself as she dragged Black Star out of the store by the collar nearly an hour later, had they become a "we"? It was him that wanted to buy the items, and her that would end up paying for them. How was that a "we"?

"Come oooon," Black Star griped. It was difficult for Tsubaki to drag Black Star with one hand, drag both their suitcases with the other, and balance both their bags on her shoulders simultaneously, but she persevered. They were almost at the airport lobby. "You have to admit that that ninja-shaped bottle was cool."

"It was," she forced out through gritted teeth, "a perfume bottle, Black Star. Get up and drag your own suitcase yourself."

He didn't budge a muscle. Tsubaki kept dragging him across the floor like a burlap sack. "Still, it looked cool. And besides, anything in a ninja bottle has to smell nice! Do you think that, if I used it, I'd gain awesome ninja skills? Hey, let's go back and get it!"

He was worse than a young child: more stubborn, more noisy, and much, much heavier. Tsubaki plowed through a set of automatic doors, paused briefly to show the customs officer her and Black Star's passports (the young woman gave the two of them a funny look, but didn't say anything as she handed the passports back), and then proceeded down the hall, still dragging Black Star behind her.

"Tsubaki!"

That voice was practically drowned out in the noise of the the hustle and bustle of the rest of the airport, but someone, Tsubaki managed to pick up on it. She looked around, searching for whoever had called her name. There, off to her right, someone was pushing through the crowd and waving at her .

"Nakamura (Ryousuke)-san!"

She grinned and released Black Star to wave to the man. "Nakamura-san! お久しぶりです!"

"椿様!" The middle-aged man, wearing a simple grey kimono that matched the thinning hair on his head, dashed up to Tsubaki with a broad grin. "お元気ですか? 君のそばの人は誰ですか? ブラックスターですか?"

"元気です. うん. 両親?"

Even as they spoke, the man - Nakamura-san - took one suitcase from Tsubaki and strolled through the crowded lobby. Black Star was forced to scramble to his feet and catch up with them before he lost them in the crowd.

"長い間待っていましたか？" Tsubaki asked him. It was almost as though she'd forgotten that Black Star was there with them.

"いや, いや, 心配しないて下さい. ああ-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Black Star interrupted. Nakamura-san gave him a sharp, disapproving look, but Black Star ignored it. "I don't speak Japanese, ya know. I grew up in Death City. What're you two yabbering on about?"

"Oh." Tsubaki chuckled uneasily. "I'm sorry, I got so excited that I forgot. This is Nakamura-san. He's-"

"I am sorry." Nakamura-san bowed down to Black Star, barely enough for it to be called a bow. Though his Japanese accent was thick, his English was still understandable as he continued, "I was the Nakatsukasa family butler for the past twenty-five years. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Japan on the Nakatsukasa family's behalf."

Black Star crossed his arms and glared at him through narrowed eyes. Tsubaki could tell that he was still irritated at being ignored for those few minutes. Before he could do anything unspeakably rude, she grabbed him and shoved one of the carry-ons into his chest. "Here, Black Star, why don't you hold this for me? I...ah... It's been a really long time since I've last been in Japan. You don't mind if I do some catching up with Nakamura-san, do you?"

Black Star pouted and took the bag. "'Course not. Go ahead and do whatever you want."

Was that bitterness that she detected in his voice, or was she just imagining it?

"椿様?"

"ああ." She turned and smiled at Nakamura-san. He stared at her with curiosity. "ごめんねください. どんなか?"

She chatted with Nakamura-san the whole way up to her home, feeling butterflies of excitement flit around in her stomach as she ignored the sullen look on Black Star's face. She asked Nakamura-san about her parents and extended family; he asked her about school. She told him the entire story about the fight against the kishin - she'd already explained the situation in previous letters home, but she'd never given them an in-depth explanation of it - and, in return, he told her about the funeral ceremony they'd held for Masamune that Tsubaki hadn't been able to attend.

They were just discussing the recent engagement of one of Tsubaki's cousins when Black Star bolted up and exclaimed, "Whoa! Tsubaki, is this really where you grew up? It's just like one of those really old samurai villages!"

"Eh?" She turned away from Nakamura-san and glanced outside. "'Old samurai village'?"

Black Star nodded fervently and grinned. "Yeah, like from action anime! Y'know?"

Anime again. Of course. "It's not really a _samurai village_. The buildings are just older. These buildings were all built a long time ago, in the traditional Japanese fashion. They've been renovated but not demolished; most traditional buildings have been replaced by modern buildings nowadays, so villages like this have grown somewhat rare in Japan."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh." Black Star clearly wasn't listening. He kept on gawking at the buildings that Nakamura-san drove by. "You never told me that you grew up in a secret ninja village!"

She sighed. "It's...really not."

If she remembered her hometown correctly, they were only a few more minutes' drive from her home. During those few minutes, she would try, however fruitlessly, to make Black Star give up on his fantastical views of Japan, and the village, as native ninja land.

"You know, Black Star, ninjas don't really exist in Japan anymore."

"Nice try, Tsubaki, but you can't fool me. After all..."

If he said something about a manga or anime, she swore to Death that she would not speak to him again for the entire trip.

"...I'm the best ninja-assassin in the world, and I'm in Japan, aren't I? So there are some ninjas here, after all!"

He grinned at her, and she couldn't help but crack a smile. What a ridiculously self-centered, egotistic answer. So typical of him.

She turned to stare fondly out the window and watch familiar buildings pass by. That was the Tanaka family home, and that was where the Arakawas used to live... Only a few more short minutes, and then she'd be back home. Finally.

When they at last arrived, Black Star, who had been blissfully quiet during the last stretch of the trip, suddenly seemed to rediscover his voice. "Whoa, you live here? It's _huge!_ Is your family super-rich or something? Hey, why's it in the middle of a forest? Isn't that creepy?"

"Get down from that tree," she called up to him in English, and then in Japanese, asked the housekeeper, "Where are my parents? Are they home?"

The housekeeper, a middle-aged woman often referred to as Obaasan, smiled and patted Tsubaki on the head. "You're grown so much in the few years you've been away! Your parents are having breakfast by the garden. There are settings prepared for you and your friend as well, in case the two of you are hungry."

Breakfast? Wasn't it a little late for that? ... Oh, right, the time difference. Tsubaki laughed. "Yes, we'll join them. Let me just call Black Star - _Black Star! Stop fooling around and get over here right now!_ "

He pouted and leapt down from the tree he'd been climbing. Obaasan gasped - he'd jumped from a height of at least twelve metres, and yet he landed as gently and gracefully as though merely stepping down stairs.

"Hey, hey, Tsubaki!" He straightened and flashed a thumbs-up, plus a bright grin, her way. "Whaddya think of my ninja-like tree-climbing skills? Pretty awesome, huh?"

Obaasan didn't speak a word of English, but she must've caught the general gist of what he was saying, because she broke out into a fit of jovial laughter and applause.

"He is very funny, this partner of yours!" she exclaimed to Tsubaki, still clapping away. "I like him!"

Normally, Tsubaki would've scolded Black Star for his childish, unnecessary theatrics. Just this once, though, she let herself laugh and clap along. Black Star beamed with pride and swept down into a deep bow for his two-person audience.

"Yes, he is," Tsubaki agreed to Obaasan. "I like him a lot, too. He's special, isn't he?"

He straightened and hollered at her, "Hey, speak English! I don't understand a word you're saying!"

"I was saying," she called back, "that my parents are having breakfast inside. Do you want to join them, while the servants bring in our luggage for us?"

He brightened. "Food? You betcha I want some!"

He leapt into the air and did a double handspring to her side. Once again, Obaasan applauded; Tsubaki merely sighed and gave him the tiniest smile she could manage.

"Don't do that in the house," she warned him. "My parents will be furious if you break anything."

"C'mon, Tsubaki - no one tells a god what to do! I'll do all the backflips and cartwheels I want. But, y'know, if you insist, I'll refrain from autographing every wall in the house. Just this once."

She couldn't help it; her smile widened. "You great big doofus."

He pouted. "Normally I wouldn't let anyone get away with calling a god like me a doofus, but since it's you, I'll let it slide."

xoxoxox

"Black Star, hmm?"

Tsubaki's mother refilled his cup of tea as he devoured his rice, miso soup, and fish breakfast. Tsubaki had been worried at first that he wouldn't like the food - this was his first time eating a traditional Japanese breakfast, and it wasn't like anything he'd had back in Nevada - but she should've known better than to worry: so long as it filled his stomach, Black Star didn't particularly care what the food tasted like. As an added bonus, he'd had the decency to thank Tsubaki's parents for the meal before digging in. That was certainly an improvement to his usual eating behaviour.

"That's an interesting name. How did the two of you meet again?"

Tsubaki knew perfectly well that her mother already knew that story. Judging by the twinkle in her eyes, she was just asking to tease her.

"It was on the first day of school," Tsubaki explained with a gentle, I-know-what-you're-up-to smile. "He was putting on a show of some sort, I can't remember what-"

Black Star mumbled something indistinguishable through a mouthful of food, which Tsubaki ignored.

"-and I was the only one who watched the whole thing, so we decided to become partners."

Her father hummed while her mother nodded demurely. "I see."

Black Star downed his cup of tea, and ever the graceful hostess, Tsubaki's mother refilled it for him. Tsubaki's family was traditional to the core: even now, in modern times, they wore kimono practically every day; slept on futons instead of Western-style beds; ate at chabudai, sitting on tatamis, for every meal (Black Star was sitting cross-legged instead of the proper way, with his legs folded under him). Most of all, though, they believed that family matters were meant for the family's eyes and ears only, which meant that, so long as Black Star remained with them, Tsubaki would get no greater sign of affection from her parents than the short, formal hugs she'd received upon arrival, and these gentle, subtle teases.

To be honest, she was appalled by how much she wanted to boot Black Star out of the room right then. It would be _rude_ to do that, not just to a guest, but to her partner - but, still, she knew that if she didn't do _something_ about him, he would just sit there and continue filling his bottomless pit of a stomach for all eternity. That wouldn't do. She needed him away to be able to greet her parents properly for the first time in years.

"The garden's changed since I've last been here," Tsubaki said, gazing outside at the lush green garden that surrounded the house. Technically, she wasn't lying; she could see a few minor changes in landscaping, even though overall, the garden looked the same as it always had. "Mother, Father, would you come on a walk with me while Black Star finishes eating?"

"Of course." Tsubaki's parents both to their feet right along with her. Black Star, either oblivious or choosing to ignore them, went right on eating. Tsubaki's mother led the way, saying, "Right this way. The path has changed a little since your last visit, so watch your step."

That wasn't a lie, either. Several new turns had been added, while others had been removed, to accommodate the changes in the garden landscape. The three Nakatsukasas walked along the path silently for a while. When they were finally a good distance away from the main building, mostly out of earshot and view, Tsubaki's mother spoke.

"The last time you visited, dear," she commented in Japanese as she fingered the leaves of an immaculately trimmed bush, "I recall you saying something along the lines of _I'll return as soon as possible._ And now, see what's happened to that, hmm? In the time you've been away, we've been able to renovate the entire house."

Tsubaki smiled. "I'm here now, aren't I?" Without warning, tears sprung to her eyes. She hastily wiped them away before they could fall. "I... I missed you."

She found herself swept up into her father's tight, warm embrace. "Us, too," he whispered, and yet more tears welled up in her eyes. Her father was just as she remembered him: stoic and quiet, but by far one of the more emotional ones in her family. Her mother, too, was the same as ever: still perfectly poised, dainty and delicate, more emotions expressed in her eyes and softly spoken words than in her body and voice.

"You've changed so much," she said now, softly, gently, just as much as the hand she used to brush a strand of hair off Tsubaki's face. The young girl laughed.

"I was thinking the exact opposite - you're just as I remember."

Tsubaki's father released her, and with her arms now free, Tsubaki pulled her mother into a tight hug. Her mother returned it, hesitantly, but at least not with the stiffness she'd exhibited earlier.

"What kept you away for so long?" her mother whispered into Tsubaki's shoulder, and Tsubaki laughed again.

"It's a long story."

"Tell us," her father said.

So Tsubaki released her mother and led the two of them to the pavilion that still stood at the far end of the garden. They sat, and she told them. She knew they already knew the story from media coverage and the many letters she'd sent home over the past two years, but it was long past time for her to tell them the story in person.

And, Death, did it feel good.

xoxoxox

When they finally returned an hour or so later, Black star was gone. Apparently, even a god like him couldn't gorge himself for too long before feeling stuffed. One of the servants had already taken him to the guest bedroom that had been prepared for him, and Tsubaki prayed that he was still there, unpacking his luggage, instead of gallivanting through the woods in search of secret ninja training facilities. She wouldn't put it past him to try.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," her mother said when Tsubaki expressed her concern. "I'm sure he'll be just fine. There's nothing dangerous in the woods, after all, and even if he gets lost, it would be easy to find him - everyone in this household knows that forest inside and out."

Her mother had misunderstood Tsubaki's worries: Tsubaki wasn't worried about Black Star's well-being. She was worried for the forest, and for the states of mind of the neighbours and servants. But, to be honest, what was the point in worrying? Even if he _was_ off adventuring in the woods, there wasn't much Tsubaki could do to stop him.

"You're right, Mother." Tsubaki sighed. "I'll go see if he's in his room later - where did you put him?"

"The largest room on the second floor. Ah - here we are, darling. Your room. It should be the same as it was when you last left it."

Her mother smiled sweetly and gestured to the door, but didn't open it. Tsubaki smiled back and bowed, modest but respectful.

"Thank you. I'll unpack all my things now. Are the hot springs open, or...?"

"They'll be closed for cleaning until tomorrow." Tsubaki hid her sigh. She'd been hoping to be able to relax in the hot springs - she needed the rest, after that long flight - but it seemed that would have to wait until the next day. Pity.

With nothing else to do, she picked up the bags outside her room and smiled again at her mother. "All right, then. I'll see you at...lunch, I suppose."

Her mother nodded and bowed back. "Yes, I'll see you for lunch." She turned to leave, but paused, hesitant, before taking a single step away.

"Oh. I almost forgot." She turned to face Tsubaki again. "We've invited all the family over for a welcome-back dinner tonight - Western-style, in honour of you and Black Star. I hope you have a nice dress to wear."

With those parting words, she gave Tsubaki a final smile and left.

A Western-style dinner party? Tsubaki mused to herself as she carried her luggage into her room. Her mother's word held true: the room truly hadn't changed much from when she'd last seen it. She could tell that it had been left untouched all these years, aside from the occasional cleaning and airing of the futon. Tsubaki opened her dresser drawers and smiled: all her kimono and belongings were still there, just as they had always been.

As she unpacked her luggage, she found her thoughts drifting back to the "Wester dinner party" that evening. She couldn't wait to see what her parents' idea of a Western dinner would be. Knowing them, it would probably be like a normal family dinner, except with Japanese versions of Western dishes, and all guests dressed in Western clothing instead of kimono. Would they still eat at their chabudai, or would her parents remember to bring in a taller, Western dining table to eat at?

Tsubaki had no doubt that the dinner would be an unsuccessful attempt at emulating Western culture, but even so, she couldn't wait to go. As cringeworthy as it may prove to be, it would be her first time seeing her extended family in a long, long time. Come to think of it, it would also be their first time meeting Black Star. She wondered what they would think of him. _What an interesting name. Wow, so short!_ (She was pretty sure that would pop up at some point; hopefully when it did, it would be in Japanese, so Black Star would never find out.) _He eats so much!_ (That would definitely pop up too, probably along with subtle jabs at his lack of table manners.) _He looks so strong!_

Tsubaki chuckled to herself. Her family would love Black Star, and he would probably love them, too, for the chance they gave him to show off.

She slid a folded shirt into her dresser drawer, placing it beside stacks of other articles of clothing, and turned back to her nearly-empty suitcase. There was only one item left, and she laughed when she saw it.

She picked up the pink evening gown, shaking it out and admiring the way the fabric billowed through the air. _I hope you have a nice dress to wear,_ her mother had said. Well, wasn't Tsubaki lucky that she'd decided to bring this with her?

She folded it back up and placed it gently on top of her dresser. She had only to wait until evening, and then the guests would arrive. Then she would have her first reunion with her entire family in what felt like an eternity; then, she could introduce them to Black Star, and talk with them, and laugh with them just as she always had.

She couldn't wait.

xoxoxox

"Black Star, are you really going to be wearing that? What about the suit I packed for you, the one you wore to the DWMA party a while ago?"

"Left it at home." He clasped his hands together behind his head and marched down the hall, just as carefree as Tsubaki was anxious. "I needed space for my dart board."

" _Black Star!_ "

"What?" he protested, staring down at himself. "It's not that bad, I mean, it's not as fancy as what you've got on, but - hey, look, it shows off all my muscles!"

He jumped into a bodybuilder's pose, flexing his biceps and contorting his face into his typical showing-huge-strain-and-effort expression. Tsubaki merely sighed. Here she saw, all dressed up in her pink, floor-length gown and high-heeled shoes, while Black Star wore the same black sleeveless top, white shorts, and bulky boots that he wore practically every other day. What would her family think?

"Come on, let's go." She grabbed one of Black Star's flexed arms and dragged him down the hall. "Most of the guests are probably here already - they're waiting for us downstairs."

"Dinner's not even ready yet," he argued. "Who would come to a party before the food's even ready?" Still, he sped up, until Tsubaki decided that it was safe to let go of him and let him follow her on his own.

"By the way," he mumbled as they headed down the stairs, "where'd you and your parents disappear to during breakfast? You guys were gone for forever."

Why was he bringing this up now? He'd had all of lunch, plus the entire afternoon, to ask. "We were doing some catching-up. Family matters."

"Huh."

He might've asked another question, except at that moment they reached the ground floor, and were pounced upon by a small mob of young children.

"Tsu-nee! Tsu-nee!"

"Tsubaki, you're back!"

"Nee-chan, nee-chan, what's America like? Is it awesome? Huh? Huh? D'ya eat burgers every-"

"Hey, nee-san, whozzat?"

Tsubaki laughed and patted the kids on the head as they crowded around her, reaching for her hands, hugging her around her knees and clinging to her skirt. "Wow, guys, you've all grown so big since the last time I came! That's Black Star, my-"

"Buraku Sta?"

"黑星 in Japanese. He's my partner - my meister."

"Oooh," eleven young voices exclaimed simultaneously, throwing Tsubaki into a fit of giggles.

"Black Star, these are some of my cousins, and nieces, and nephews. They..."

She turned to face him, and had to bite her lip to suppress more laughter: Two of her youngest cousins, barely old enough to walk, had crawled onto Black Star as if he was a tree, and they, sloths. One clung to his shoulder and babbled gibberish into his ear.

"Tsubaki," Black Star, trying and failing to pull them off him, "what's he saying? Is that Japanese?"

She grinned. " _She_ isn't old enough to understand any language yet. Here, Hiyori! Hiyori, Akari, be good girls and get off Black Star. He's terrified of babies, you know. You don't want to scare him, do you?" She reached out and pulled them off him, then sat them both on the ground. They cheerily chattered nonsense to each other. "There we go. You good, sweet, strong girls!"

"Hey, hey," Black Star protested, "I'm not afraid of kids! Don't you lie to these kids, Tsubaki. I was just afraid to crush them in my godly grip, that's all!"

"Engrish?" one of the older children asked. Without waiting for an answer, he exclaimed, "Yes! Yes, I - I is - vally - happy - is!"

"No, no," one of his friends said in Japanese. "Use Japanese and call him names! Point-head! Blue-head!"

"Starfish!"

"Ha ha ha! Shortie!"

Black Star looked to Tsubaki for a translation. She considered lying to him about what they were saying, but decided against it - both the cousins and Black Star needed some entertainment if they were expected to make it through what they would consider to be a boring, stuffy family get-together.

"They're calling you names."

Black Star's reaction was just as outlandish as she expected. " _Ehhhh?!_ " He bent down and scooped three of the children up into the air. They squealed and squirmed in his arms. "No one gets away with calling a god like me names! As your punishment, I'll make you all sit in a tree for an hour!"

He ran off, still holding the kids in his arms. The rest of them turned and stared at Tsubaki, waiting for an explanation.

"He's taking them tree-climbing."

Eight faces lit up with glee. "Tree-climbing!" The children all turned and dashed after him. The younger children were hurried along by the elder; those too young to run were carried piggyback. Within minutes, they were all out of sight.

Tsubaki couldn't help but find it fitting for Black Star to be outside playing with the children: As demeaning as it may have sounded, she knew that he would be happiest with the young kids. She, on the other hand, was content to be able to spend the evening making small talk with relatives and family friends.

She greeted familiar faces, shared her adventures with the Kishin more times than she cared to count, and explained that her meister was with company that better suited his age and behaviour. In return, her relatives shared tales of changes within the family: births, engagements, marriages, deaths. They told her of prideful events, such as graduations or promotions, and she responded with details of life in Nevada and her position working for the new Lord Death.

Half an hour in, the servants brought out tables - Western ones, not chabudai as Tsubaki had predicted - and set out stacks of plates and platters of food. The guests picked up food to eat as they walked around and socialized. It was, Tsubaki thought as she munched on a lamb kebab, quite like a true Western dinner party. Hats off to her parents for a party well planned - she could tell that they'd done their research.

There were so many different dishes - some Japanese, some Western, some a mixture of both - and so much of each dish that Tsubaki was surprised Black Star hadn't returned yet. Normally, he'd have been hogging an entire table of food all to himself, eating as quickly and messily as possible while ignored awed or distasteful stares from passersby. But, no; as far as she knew, he was still outside, goofing around with the kids. No one in the house had spotted any of the young ones or Black Star since they'd dashed off for their tree-climbing punishment session at the beginning of the night.

For a while, she didn't think much of it. After all, she was sure that they'd be back any minute. But when night fell and a few of the parents began hinting to her that they wanted their child back in the safe confines of the house - _oh, my, it's gotten dark; did you know that wild bears have been showing up in this area recently? Horrid beasts. They're big enough and mean enough to kill a child without thinking anything of it_ \- Tsubaki decided that it was perhaps time for her to find Black Star and bring him, along with all the children, back to the house.

She excused herself, claiming to need fresh air, and went outside, past the confines of the gates.

"Black Star?" she called into the forest. Apart from the noise of the house behind her, the only response was the rustling of leaves in the wind. "Black Star? Akari? Hiyori? Nene-chan? Ryousuke?"

Nothing. She couldn't hear the faintest sound that may indicate to her where they were. They must've gone really deep into the woods.

Tsubaki slipped off her high heeled shoes - they would only hinder her while she traveled through the forest - and looked around for a tree with low-hanging branches. Traveling by treetop would be faster than by ground, and it would also give her a better view of-

" _Pssst!_ "

She swallowed a yelp of surprise and spun around. That voice had been coming from _above_ her. Where...?

Black Star, perched on top of the gate, grinned and waved cheerily at her. "Yo, Tsubaki! Up here!"

"You..." She shook her head and bounded up to join him on top of the wall. "What are you doing up here? Where did the children go?"

"I took them up to the top floor." He pointed at a tree standing right beside the house, silhouetted against the full moon. There was at least a two-foot gap between the second-floor engawa and the nearest-growing tree branch. Tsubaki sighed.

"Black Star... did you jump with them from the tree to the house?"

" _Duh_. The kids loved it!"

She rubbed her forehead and sighed. How on earth was she going to explain this to the children's parents, in a way that made it sound less dangerous than it had actually been?

Even though her thoughts were whirling wildly inside her head, Black Star didn't seem to notice. "Anyway, I found something cool - come on, let me show you! It's this way."

He bounded off the wall and beckoned to her, then dashed into the forest. After a moment of consideration, Tsubaki followed.

"Fine," she muttered as they raced among the trees, "but make it fast. We need to tell the parents where their kids are, and if we're gone too long, they might start worrying about where we are, too."

"Yeah, yeah." He wasn't listening to her, as usual. "C'mon, right here - look!"

They emerged in a large, perfectly round clearing on top of a hill. Tsubaki recognized it: when she was young, she'd sometimes come here to play with her brother. Until now, she'd almost forgotten this place existed.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Black Star exclaimed, flopping down onto his back. "Who'da thought there'd be something like this hidden in the forest? It's like something straight outta a movie."

Tsubaki laughed and sat down beside him. "Yeah, like a fairy ring."

"Fairy ring? Huh? Sounds stupid."

"It's a ring of mushrooms or toadstools that's supposed to..." She smiled and shook her head. "Never mind."

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, staring up at the starry sky in the cool night breeze.

"You know," Tsubaki murmured, reaching up to the sky, "the stars are so much brighter here than they are in Death City. It's because of the light pollution, I guess."

Black Star grunted. "D'you know any constellations? Like... The Big Dipper?"

She did, in fact, know where the Big Dipper was, and pointed up at it. "It's right there, in the middle of the sky. And two of the stars in the spoon point to the North Star - over there." She didn't notice how, though she pointed, Black Star didn't look. Instead, his gaze remained affixed to her, even as she continued, "And over there - that's the Summer Triangle, those three bright stars over there, and the Scorpion is down there, I think, and the Little Dipper should be right there..."

She smiled and lowered her hand. How long had it been since she'd last thought of the different constellations? Forever, it seemed.

"You sure know a lot about stars, huh."

Tsubaki laughed and scratched her cheek. "Not really. When I was young, my... My family showed me a couple of them. I'm surprised I still remember."

She heard Black Star sit up beside her, and there was an undeniable trace of uncertainty in his voice as he asked, "If you miss Japan so much, why don't you just stay here, instead of going back to Death City? You seem like you'd be way happier here."

She was certain that, if she looked, she would see Black Star staring at her with an unusually somber expression, with not a trace of his usual energy or cheeriness present on his face. So, instead of looking over at him, she drew her knees up to her chest and stared down at her naked feet.

How was she supposed to respond to this? It didn't seem appropriate to respond that she also thought she would be happier staying in Japan, nor did she think Black Star would understand that she had an obligation to return to Death City in order to carry out the job that Kidd had entrusted to her.

...Was that really her only reason to return? A job? That sounded pathetic, even to her own ears.

"I-I..." Without even realizing it, she'd begun speaking - babbling, really - as she tried to think of another reason she was content to return to Nevada, as far as it was from her family in Japan. "I - well, yeah, I do miss Japan, but - you might not understand, but Kidd trusted me to help him take care of Shibusen, and I can't betray his trust by just leaving now, you know?"

Cheeks flushed, she stole a glance over at Black Star. He was still frowning. Just as she'd feared.

"B-B-But I'm not _only_ returning for Kidd's sake - for the sake of my work. All... All my friends are in Death City, too. Like, Kidd, and Liz and Patty, and Maka, and Soul, and Kim, Jacky, and I guess I've gotten close to Marie, too, although..."

Her continued ramblings didn't seem to be improving Black Star's mood. If anything, his expression was only getting darker with each word she spoke. Part of Tsubaki wondered why his unease was concerning her so much, but another, larger part of her was simply desperate to find a way to reassure him - of what, though, she wasn't sure.

"And, of course," she added as a last-ditch effort to repair a situation she wasn't sure why needed repairing, "you're going back to Death City, aren't you? If you're going back, then I have to, too. After all, we're partners. Partners have to stick together."

Black Star's lips quirked up in a strange smile. "Partners, huh?"

Something in his voice made Tsubaki lean in closer to him - to comfort him, to question him, _something_. At the same time, Black Star turned toward her, and before she could realize what was happening, he had his lips pressed to hers in a firm, but surprisingly gentle, kiss.

...What?

She couldn't blink, couldn't move, wasn't even sure if she could breathe, as Black Star pulled away with a gentleness she hadn't believed him capable of. She couldn't even think properly through the endless whirl of thoughts in her head: _Did that really just happen? With Black Star? But... How? Why?_

""Just..."

His hesitant voice dragged her out of her stupor. He turned his red face away from her in embarrassment and continued, just as quiet as before, "We're just partners? Is that really what you think?"

His words sprang her mind back into motion. Several pieces clicked together; the entire evening, and, indeed, the whole world, too, suddenly made sense again.

 _Is that really what you think?_

She considered a moment. Then she leaned over, placed a hand on Black Star's cheek, and kissed him back.

xoxoxox

"Goodbye, Nakamura-san." Tsubaki gave the elderly butler a quick hug, then turned and did the same to her parents. "Bye, Mother, Father. I'll be back soon, I promise."

"Don't let that 'soon' drag out into two years again," her mother joked, and her father nodded in agreement. "Try to come back for the New Year, at least."

"I'll see what I can do."

Tsubaki waved farewell to them and turned to Black Star, who was bouncing impatiently on the balls of his feet.

"You done now, or what?" Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the security checkpoint, as Tsubaki's family waved to her one final time.

They dashed through the security checkpoint as fast as they could. The moment they were through, Black Star dragged them both to the duty-free store for an hour or so; Tsubaki dragged them back out twenty minutes before their flight's departure.

"Honestly," she sighed, handing their tickets to a flight attendant who gave the tickets a cursory glance, ripped off the stubs, and handed them back. "You've already got plenty of souvenirs. Why do you need more?"

"I still don't have a ninja-shaped bottle," Black Star argued, following her onto the plane. "Who doesn't need a ninja-shaped bottle?"

"It was a _perfume_ bottle."

"So? It was still ninja-shaped! It was still cool!"

Tsubaki shook her head at him. They each took their seats, and she asked him, "What would you have done with the perfume inside the bottle, then? Thrown it out? Let it sit in the bottle forever?"

He grinned. "I woulda given it to you, of course!"

Tsubaki's heart thudded painfully in her chest, and she quickly turned away before Black Star could see the blush rising to her cheeks.

It was moments like these when Tsubaki was acutely aware of the first evening she'd spent in Japan with Black Star - specifically, of the kisses they'd shared. Sometimes, that memory was triggered by something Black Star, which Tsubaki normally would've thought nothing of but, now, wondered if his words had hidden implications. Other times, she caught him simply _looking_ at her in a certain way that reminded her of those sweet, tender kisses; other times, she caught herself watching him with an unexpectedly fierce affection.

 _Just partners._ Were they, anymore? She wasn't too sure.

"A-Ah." Desperate for something to take her mind off that dangerous topic, she sprang to her feet and rummaged through her luggage in the overhead compartment. "I... I got something for you. A gift. I was going to give it to you after we landed, but..."

She zipped her bag shut and sat back down, handing the gift to him with a shy smile and blush. It was yet another ninja figurine.

"To add to your collection," she explained, as Black Star turned it over in his hands. She chanced a glance up at him, and found, to her surprise, that his cheeks were also dusted faintly pink.

"Huh... Thanks." His blush darkened. "It's cool. Thanks a lot."

He glanced up to meet her eyes, and when their gazes connected, Tsubaki instinctively knew: He was also thinking of that night.

 _Just partners?_

Sometimes - most of the time - it felt like that. nothing appeared to have changed between the two of them; they acted the exact same with each other as they always had. But, other times...

Tsubaki laughed. "No problem! I'm glad you like it."

After a brief pause, Black Star grinned back, just as bright and cheerful as ever.

 _Just partners?_

No, not anymore. It wasn't obvious, but Tsubaki could somehow tell that things had changed, and that they had changed for the better.

She couldn't wait to be back in Death City, with Black Star right at her side.

27


End file.
